Team
Dr. Liz Rodwell
Dr. Rodwell is an Assistant Professor of Digital Media at the University of Houston and founder of the UH UX Lab. Liz studies the experts who create and use technology in professional environments with a focus on how technology shapes our social worlds. She is a media/tech anthropologist and UX researcher currently working on conversational UX, conversation design, and conversational AI, and is the author of the book Push the Button: Interactive Television and Collaborative Journalism in Japan
Lab Managers (Fall 2024):
Kamilla Orent – Head manager
Kamilla Orent is a post-bacc pursing a B.S. in Digital Media who came to the UX lab with a desire to practice the applied style. She is a psychological researcher and a digital media specialist with a passion for research and an interest in human-centered design.
Maxine Cabigquez
I love UX because it lets me balance creativity with logic. It’s always changing, so I can keep learning and adapting. Plus, I enjoy solving problems.
Eman Ghacham
Eman is a Digital Media major and serves as both a manager and research assistant at the UH UX Lab. Her primary interest lies in the psychological aspects of human-computer interaction, which she is actively conducting research in.
Olivia Meyer
Olivia is a Technology Leadership Innovation Management major, as well as a teaching assistant and lab manager at the UH UX lab. Her interests lie in the creation of effective social media wireframing and UX design, as well as the effects of generative AI on arts & humanities.
Samy Selvakumar
Samy is a senior Digital Media major, currently working as a teaching assistant and lab manager at the UX lab. She is deeply passionate about UX design, with a keen focus on design systems, wireframing, and the art of storytelling to create intuitive and impactful user experiences.
Arshiya Yasin
Arshiya is a Digital Media major and a teaching assistant and lab manager in the UX Lab. She is interested in the intersection of UX and the digital humanities, with particular interest in interactive storytelling, education technology, and human-computer interaction in diverse cultural contexts.
Lab Members (Fall 2024)
Maxine Cabigquez
Stefanie Chavez
Hi everyone! I’m a senior studying Digital Media at the University of Houston with a passion for creating intuitive, user-friendly designs. Now in my second semester as a research assistant for the UX Lab, my team and I are focusing on identifying design elements on shopping websites that lead to user frustration or anger. As I wrap up my final semester, I’m excited to continue expanding my expertise in UX through hands-on research and analysis.
Quinn Dao
This semester, I will be working on the UX of generative AI and how it can be used to create personalized, custom-designed products. What interests me most about UX is the need for empathy and adaptability in the ever-changing nature of technology and user expectations.
Eman Ghacham
Mary Gomez
What interests me most in UX is creating intuitive, seamless experiences that solve real user problems and improve theirinteractions with technology. I love combining research, psychology, and creativity to design interfaces that feel natural and enjoyable, making a positive impact on users’ lives.
Jun Kim
Youngjun Kim is an undergraduate student studying Digital Media and pursuing a minor in Technological Leadership and Innovation Management at the University of Houston. Jun is currently investigating whether users feel more anxious when they are tasked with multiple operations on a computer while using a trackpad compared to other peripherals such as computer mice and trackballs.
Evelyn Lazo
This semester, I will be working with Mary Gomez on the research question: ‘How does the visual layout and placement of key information on digital interfaces affect attention, comprehension, and task performance among neurodivergent users?’ What interests me most within UX are prototyping, wireframing, behavioral psychology, and accessibility.
Ngoc Nguyen
I’m a junior in digital media, and I’m currently researching how different design choices influence users’ perceptions of the product’s efficiency and overall satisfaction. I love UX because I can collaborate to design interactive elements that make user experiences more accessible and enjoyable.
Amanda Tran
I am deeply interested in the research and discovery aspect of UX, where understanding user needs, behaviors, andmotivations are at the core focus. I want to uncover insights that inform and shape meaningful experiences in userexperience to drive design decisions that resonate with every user. :’)
Saki Ybarra
I’m a senior in the digital media major and I’m currently working on an illustration and html/javascript project. I love UXbecause it’s so fun to figure out and solve problems for others! Seeing the process from wireframes to the finished product is also magical!